Xbox

Beyond Good & Evil

The creative talent behind this game is Marcel Ancel, the guy behind the Rayman games. I can’t wait to see what he and his team come up with next. This is one of those games that should be played by everyone. And it’s on every single platform out there, so there’s no excuse to miss it. PLUS, it’s dropped dramatically in price recently. So what are you waiting for?

Probably my biggest gripe is the fact that because of poor sales, the chances of this game getting a sequel are rather slim. It is titles like this that are the backbone of the industry and the reason I got into gaming in the first place. Few games draw you in as much as this gem does, and in my opinion to not play Beyond Good & Evil would be a crime against its creators.

Ok, so I’ve made some pretty heavy statements about Beyond Good and Evil. Do I really mean that after 25 years of gaming, and thousands of titles in my collection, that Beyond Good and Evil is one of the best games I have ever played? Yes. The absolute best? No, not by any means – but Beyond Good and Evil as an entire package is right up there on the top shelf. I really had a great time with this one, and the feeling of accomplishment I had when watching the ending credits has seldom been matched before.

Beyond Good & Evil is one of those games so good, you'll rant and rave about it to everyone you know until they either buy it or you drive them criminally insane. It harkens back to a day in video games when you'd replay a game countless times simply because it's fun, not because your forced to collect crystal #374,987 to get a "real" ending. It's simplicity at it's finest and a very drab, dark world if we are never treated to a sequel.

Every once in awhile a game comes across my path that reminds me why I am a gamer. It creates for you an experience that no other medium could possibly convey and it does so artistically, emotionally, and spiritually while still maintaining the excitement you expect from a game. One such game is Beyond Good and Evil. This game has intrigued me since early in its inception, but never in my wildest dreams could I have expected the masterpiece that was to be. In short BG&E has everything and more that you could want in an action adventure game; great combat, intriguing story, memorable characters, exquisite stylized graphics, and innovation. There's a lot to love in this game, so come with me on the adventure of a lifetime.

Generally, Beyond Good & Evil is an impressive game. However, there are a few instances of slowdown when too much is on screen at one time, but these are so rare it shouldn’t be nearly enough to deter you from this game. Also, some of the stealth sections, especially in the Slaughterhouse, tend to bog down the pacing of the game a bit. These sections are a just a Metal Gear Solid exercise in avoiding the line of sight of some very simply scripted soldiers, and if they see you… just run out of the room! They’ll forget you ever existed if you leave their area.

Regardless, I'm very impressed by it, and I want you all to go pick it up. I don't care if you'll never play it, although you should because it is fun. I just want to see what Ubi Soft will do with a potential sequel, how they will choose to broaden and expand what's already a remarkable work.

Take a trip down memory lane with me, hardcore gamers. Do you remember the time you picked up a controller to play an RPG for the very first time? Do you recall the way you felt the minute you discovered that this wasn’t going to be the usual shoot-to-kill action game but an altogether new experience with characters and a story that hooked you to the point that you just had to continue playing to see how it ends? I’m sure you do and long-time gamers such as myself have been craving to feel that again. In the years that I’ve come to see games evolve to what they are now, I felt that I’ve seen it all and played it all. That is, until Beyond Good & Evil came along and my Xbox (as well as myself) were never the same again.

The bottom line is that I whole heartedly recommend Beyond Good and Evil. Even if somewhat short by today's standards at only 20 hours, the game doesn't compromise with gameplay, looks good, and succeeds at delivering an interesting, engaging story you can relate to. And if you are at all partial to good sci-fi and slamming soundtracks, that should seal the deal.

Beyond Good & Evil is a complete package, to say the least. In fact, it might even be brimming over. There's a variety of gameplay styles, a unique and beautiful game world, fantastic music, sympathetic characters and a compelling story all under the banner of one title. The only thing lacking here is length and scope, but that doesn't keep it from being one of the best damn games released in all of 2003.

Because what is exhibited here is a non-stop roller-coaster ride that never lets up for a second. Jade will struggle on heroically through mammoth odds with an entire race vying for her immediate demise, a race not afraid to play dirty. It is only through her strength that you will prevail to the apocalyptic and eye-opening finale that sadly takes place all to soon. Things happen quickly in the world of Beyond Good & Evil, all the more so because you won't stop playing. You'll want to uncover that last scrap of evidence, to free that last hostage, to liberate that last weapons stockpile and to photograph that last lifeform. You'll want to save Jade and her world because it is something special. Something unique that has yet to be replicated.

Sublime et enchanteur, Beyond Good & Evil fait partie de ces grands titres de l’histoire du jeu vidéo. Une aventure qui nous prend dès l’introduction pour nous transporter dans un monde que l’on croirait vivant et dont on a envie d'apprendre plus. Vivement la suite !

The only recommendation I can give with this game is to head out and buy it. It is such a refreshing change of pace from the rest of the games that are coming out with their cookie cutter stories and lack of depth and character development. Normally a feeling of sadness for leaving characters only happens when finishing really good books or movies, and rarely happens in video games; but when the credits rolled for BG&E, I was sad that this might be the only time I had with them. We need to support fresh ideas such as this game in order for them to be made, because without them, we are stuck with the latest outing of Crash and Lara games, which recycle old ideas and don’t improve on much.

I’m forced to agree with other reviews I’ve read in giving BG&E a high score. My only complaints about the game were that it was occasionally too easy in the stealth and exploration bits, and that it was probably too short. I finished it in about 9 hours on my first try. The games strengths simply overwhelm these ‘inadequacies’. The story is top-notch, and the voice acting competent and compelling. The premise and plot are original to the point of surrealism, which is something anyone in the jaded gaming community can appreciate. Finally, even if a tad short, our apathy as gamers has allowed most stores to reduce the price on this game way low ($19.99 US), so you’ve got nothing to lose by picking it up and cracking it out in a week of evenings. Beyond Good & Evil is easily worth the 9/10 I award it, and maybe even a bit more based of the power of the story alone. Hurry up and go buy it. I had to have every magazine out there tell me to before I did. Don’t follow my example.

Although some might find the game too short there is plenty to see and do in Beyond Good and Evil and I’m only complaining because I didn’t want the game to end as quickly as it did, not because I felt short changed. The game is filled with richly developed characters and a storyline that stands easily above the majority of games on the market. At its recommended retail price of $49.95 Ubisoft are doing their best to entice those of us that are even a little bit curious about this game to pick it up and try it. Trust me: you won’t regret it one bit. This is in no way a budget title and simply must be experienced by all adventure gaming fans looking for something original and lovingly created just for them.

Beyond Good & Evil is a perfect addition if you’re looking for something to get you through the month. While it’s over way too early, you’ll still have a sense of gratification when finishing out the story. BG & E gives action/adventure junkies just what they’re looking for: a well made story that needs to be played out and experienced for all its worth. Being one of the prettier and more interesting games of 2003, there is no reason this title shouldn’t be one of the first titles you play for 2004.

Beyond Good & Evil is a fine example of how to take a number of different styles of gameplay and mix them into one finished product. Many games have tried to do this, but none have been this successful. Every facet of the game sets a high standard and easily lives up to that standard. It's an inventive creation that basks in some of the finest voice acting available, an incredible amount of visual pizzazz, and an incredible mixture of gameplay. Though I wish the adventure had been a bit longer and the combat sequences would have been a little more involved, I simply found myself mesmerized by the overall quality of the game.

The game never gets anywhere bordering difficult or forces you to replay large sections as save points are regularly spaced, and even the toughest boss battles are unlikely to need more than a couple of attempts to master - it's clear that Michel Ancel and his team wanted everyone to see the entire, charming game. BG&E manages to supply excitement, violent encounters and tense moments without the need for shotguns, sniper rifles, rocket launchers or snapped necks, and there are a lot of games out there that were good, but could have been great if they'd been more like Beyond Good & Evil.

You've probably seen a great movie at some point or other, and later asked, "Who made this?" so you could watch for the artist responsible in the future. I think that's the reaction many people will have with Ubisoft's Beyond Good & Evil. In this case, the answer happens to be Michel Ancel, the soft-spoken French game designer responsible for the first two Rayman games. While they were good and great, respectively, they still didn't properly prepare my expectations for BG&E. Quite simply, BG&E is a tour-de-force of imagination, an electronic window into a fantastic world that exists in only our consoles and a creative French guy's mind. I greatly enjoyed my time in that world, and my only real regret is that it was over so soon.

Can a game offer plenty of finger-twitching action, wow-worthy visuals, and still tell a story that's sophisticated, even profound? Can videogames convey social and political messages and still be a lot of fun? The answer, of course, is yes. It's just that in an industry so focused on technical accomplishment and razzle-dazzle, it's rare when all that style meets some very real substance. With Beyond Good & Evil, we've got one of those rarities. And it's a darned good time, too.

The letterbox presentation of Beyond Good & Evil gives the gamer a good indication from the get-go of what to expect; wonderful direction, excellent storytelling, and a compelling plot. The gameplay is good enough to hold its own within the cinematic confines and actually does its fair share to charge the story forward. Michel Ansel, creator of the slick Rayman title, does nothing to disappoint with BG&E creating a truly imaginative story that would be good in any medium. The key to the success of this project was Ubi Soft’s ability to turn Ansel’s world into a plausible and polished venue from which to play. The result is a gaming experience nothing short of unique and special in the realm of action/adventure titles.

Overall, a brilliant story which makes you talk to everyone you encounter, overcome obstacles and work through the many puzzles. It’s not a game where you have to kill everyone but a game that requires stealth and planning. Well worth a hire if you think you can finish this game quickly, otherwise you won’t be disappointed if you purchase it.

Beyond Good and Evil has it all. With minor simplicity issues, the game has many gameplay elements that progress it into a wonderful platformer. With great visuals, unique weapons, a nice story, and a massive world to explore. The humorous and wacky character will keep you involved in the world and the story. However even though the game is short, the gameplay is just too good to pass up. For buying purposes, there just might not be enough for you to indulge in a second time. However, a rental might just fill your gap for a great helping of platforming goodness.

While the game feels pretty short, its interesting premise and impressive presentation pick up the slack and make Beyond Good & Evil a game well worth playing. Beyond Good & Evil is an action adventure game from Michel Ancel, the man credited with the creation of the highly acclaimed Rayman series. This time out, Ancel is shelving his platform-genre roots in favor of a Legend of Zelda-like game with a heavy focus on puzzle-solving and stealth. While Beyond Good & Evil feels pretty short, its interesting premise and impressive presentation pick up the slack and make it a game well worth playing.

A lot of people will look elsewhere for gameplay depth, but what BG&E sacrifices, it makes up for in story and pacing.

When is it okay for an adventure game to just be an adventure game? Is it all right to withhold points for lack of innovation when everything a game does attempt is superbly executed? Does harping on a weak story unfairly presume to guess the developer's primary intention in making the game? These are all some of the things weighing on a reviewer's mind as he or she plays through Beyond Good and Evil, and the answers don't come easy.

BG&E may well steal ideas from Zelda and Starfox Adventures, but it doesn't ever feel like a second hand title. There's enough originality on offer to warrant a purchase, particularly in terms of storyline. It is difficult to pinpoint exactly what makes this game enjoyable, as it doesn’t come down to a single element. It looks lovely, it sounds great, the story is entertaining and it plays well. What more could you want from an action adventure?